Hard Work but a Good Win

On paper sixth at home to the team in twelfth should be an easy win, but as was found before Christmas, with the bottom six all fighting to avoid the drop, no game is going to be easy, and Sandbach’s position is partly artificial due to playing the top clubs at home in the first part of the season. A good home win against Anselmians before the Christmas break had brought then within five points of seventh placed Stockport.

After a three week break, two changes from the starting fifteen against Nantwich, with two of the previously everpresents not involved. Seth Haddad had gone home for Christmas, but fortunately Matt Houghton was back after injury to replace him. Reece Tomlinson who started on the bench against Northwich was back in place of Alex Ryder. On the bench there was a welcome return after injury for Glenn Chesher, and he was joined by Will Meaden, whose only other appearance was in the away game at Sandbach.

After the wild weather at the Penrith and Manchester games, a rare sunny Winter afternoon at Mint Bridge with no wind and rain. So the only issue was the low sun.

Sandbach dominated the opening of the game, keeping the ball through multiple phases, and when Kendal had the ball, loose kicks just gave the ball back to the opposition to launch more attacks.

The opening score came after eight minutes with a try from short range, in the right hand corner for the visitors. 0v5

Kendal finally came into the game and most of the following play was in the Sandbach half, but slow ball meant the Sandbach defence had plenty of time to re-group, and their centres often appeared to be well offside to cut off any Kendal passing move, but the normally eagle eyed referee Ricky Handa was happy their play was legal.

Kendal were back on level terms, then in the lead after fifteen minutes. The ball was moved left to right and Dan Shorrock (playing on the right wing despite wearing an 11 shirt) powered into the corner, then narrowed the angle slightly for his kicker. Aaron Stephens kick looked as if it had just missed, but hit the post and bounced over 5v7.

Kendal continued to have the better of play, but failed to take their chances, and at the end of normal time were punished. Sandbach went from defence to attack, with Kendal conceding a string of penalties, and when it looked as if Sandbach had made a mess of a move under the post, the referee spotted a Kendal deliberate knock on, and with time running out Sandbach took the penalty kick to take the lead 8v7.

Kendal made a change losing captain Reece Tomlinson, who was replaced by Glen Chesher.

Kendal had a chance to go in with the lead at half time when Dan Shorrock broke down the right wing, twice kicking ahead, but the second kick went just too far, and rolled out of play before he could get the touchdown.

At half time Kendal brought their other two replacements on with Dane Blenkharn replacing Greg Wrathall who had picked up a shoulder injury following a high tackle on him in the first half, whilst Will Meaden replaced Naki Sumaki, who had also picked up an injury. Ben Dixon moved to the centre with Meaden at fullback.

Sandbach increased their lead six minutes into the second half. A penalty was conceded when Glenn Chesher came around to steal a ball, despite it seeming to have been loose. The kick was put to touch and the Sandbach pack rumbled to the line for the touchdown from the lineout. 7v13.

Sandbach were keeping the ball in hand, and moving it at every opportunity, but after twelve minutes an over elaborate move went wrong, and the ball went to ground, Dan Shorrock was quickest to react and once away he sailed in from near halfway to score under the post, with Aaron Stephens adding the conversion to give Kendal a narrow lead. 14v13

At this point Greg Wrathall returned in place of Joe Anderson.

The game was to be won in a two minutes spell with fifteen minutes to go.

First the ball came to Ben Dixon on the left wing, he made ground then rolled a kick through to chase, it looked as if the Sandbach player may beat him to the ball, but instead (possibly as the Sandbach player slowed to block Dixon’s run) it was Dan Shorrock who beat then both to dive over for the touchdown and his third try. 19v13.

With the difficult conversion not successful, Sandbach were still within a score of victory, but a minute later it all changed.

Greg Wrathall took the restart kick and found a gap and made ground, he passed to Matt Houghton near halfway, who had Dan Shorrock in support looking for his fourth try, but it soon became clear Houghton was in no mood for passing, and having broke one weak tackle, he then stepped up a few gears to power to the line and touchdown under the posts.

Another string of Kendal penalties, but fortunately no yellow card, put Sandbach in the position to rumble over for another try, but crucially the conversion was unsuccessful and the gap stayed two scores. 26v18.

In added time Aaron Stephens put a kick through, and Ben Dixon chased well to give the Sandbach player little option but to put the kick to touch. Matt Houghton checked the time with the referee and when his throw was taken, he was in place for the ball to be returned to him, and he ran into touch to end the game.

An odd game. Sandbach handled and recycled excellently, having the ball for long periods but rarely looked like breaching the Kendal defence, whilst too often the ball came back slowly for Kendal giving the Sandbach defence time regroup to cut off attacks. Kendal’s four tries however all came from open play (possibly with some good fortune) whilst Sandbach’s three were all from short range.

Another good game from Matt Houghton and Greg Wrathall, whilst having Ben Dixon back adds something different to the backs, if they can the ball, as Dan Shorrock proved when he did. Will Meaden again played very well when he came on, confident with the ball, and adding some pace.

On this performance Sandbach should be far too strong for their relegation rivals, and will probably be targeting a seventh place finish (still far lower than would have been expected at the start of the season). Kendal will need to play much better to get anything out of the next two weekends, with tough away trips to both the joint League leaders, but have been at their best against the better teams this season, and having picked out three wins out of the last four game, despite being far from their best, anything from the two trips will be a bonus, but if the team clicks and either of their opponents have a rare off day, who knows what could happen.

MAN OF MATCH

Dan Shorrock

TEAMS

A much changes Sandbach team to the one we played earlier in the season but close to the one which won narrowly at Mint Bridge at the end of last season

OTHER GAMES

A important win for Penrith and Stockport squeeze past Wirral

TABLE

We moved up a place, and narrow the gap on Manchester who came close to getting something at Macclesfield.

The amazing statistic is the points difference of the three of us in fourth, fifth and six, which suggests the gap to the top three is larger than to the bottom three.